Walking out my front door one morning the Dose received a lovely greeting from my neighbor. – “You are the loveliest looking lady in the neighborhood.” As nice as this compliment was, it wasn’t long after that I heard the same statement by the same man to a different neighbor!
Recently, at a wedding, the Dose was introduced as someone’s dearest friend… and, you guessed it, she introduced someone else the same way!
Compliments are wonderful, but they have no value if untrue, insincere, or unsubstantiated.
The Dose has put a practice in place. When making a compliment, I validate the statement. If someone looks nice – I say so and then I specifically call out the attractive component. If someone leads a productive meeting – I say so and then I mention a specific action they executed upon. Basically, the compliment is followed by the answer to the question “How so?”
Compliments – Take them graciously; give them genuinely.